Why do you take a fetal doppler ultrasound scan?

Doppler scans are a type of ultrasound that measures blood flow through the placenta, umbilical cord, and arteries supplying blood to the uterus. Your OBGYN may offer you a Doppler scan during your pregnancy to check for potential complications, such as pre-eclampsia, which can affect how well the placenta functions.

Doppler scans can also assess your baby’s well-being and growth or monitor fetal heart rate patterns during labor.

What is a fetal doppler ultrasound scan?

Fetal Doppler ultrasound scan is used to measure blood flow in the umbilical cord and around different parts of the fetus, such as the brain and heart. This helps doctors determine whether the fetus gets adequate oxygen and nutrients from the placenta.

Most ultrasounds have Doppler capabilities, meaning that they can be used to perform this type of scan.

How does a fetal doppler ultrasound scan work?

The person carrying out the scan (sonographer) will apply some gel to your stomach and then move a hand-held device (transducer) over your skin.

The transducer emits sound waves that bounce off red blood cells as they flow through the umbilical cord to the fetus.

These sound waves also bounce off the fetal blood circulation system. This creates an image on the screen that allows the sonographer to see how blood is flowing and get an idea of how the fetus is doing.

By measuring these changes in pitch, doctors can calculate the rate of blood flow and get an accurate picture of the health of the umbilical cord, placenta, and other major arteries.

The Doppler scan takes only a few minutes during your regular ultrasound scan. Your sonographer will give you the results of what they find immediately following the procedure.

Why would a doctor recommend a fetal doppler ultrasound scan?

This type of scan is often used during pregnancy, as it can provide useful information about the health of both the mother and the baby.

Doppler scans are generally safe and painless, but they do require special training to perform correctly. As such, you may need to be referred to a specialist for this test.

Some of the reasons why you need a fetal doppler ultrasound scan during pregnancy include the following:

• You have a medical condition that could affect the pregnancy (such as diabetes or high blood pressure)
  
• You are carrying twins or more, and there are signs of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS)
  
• You have previously had a small baby
  
• You have previously lost a baby late in pregnancy or at birth
  
• There are concerns that the baby isn’t growing at a healthy rate or is measuring small for dates
  
• You have noticed a reduction in the baby’s movements
  

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